Florida Holiday Homes For Sale – Where?

You started your search for Florida holiday homes for sale and you thought it would be simple, right?

Then you realized that there are different areas of Florida and they have different price ranges and rental potential.

Now you must answer the question: Atlantic Coast or Gulf Coast, Disney area or another part of Florida?

For example: Florida holiday homes for sale covers all holiday homes for sale in the state of Florida. That is a huge number and each area has it’s own characteristics.

Here are some general facts about each area.

Ocean or Gulf Front:

Tampa / Clearwater / St. Petersburg
Clearwater and St. Pete are the main draws for holiday makers. There are many Gulfside resorts featuring second home and holiday homes, as well as retirement communities on or close to the beaches.

Sarasota / Naples / Ft. Myers
Usually considered to be more upscale, especially Naples. Probably pricier but very nice areas with beautiful climate.

Miami Beach / Ft. Lauderdale / Boca Raton / Pompano
This is the Atlantic Ocean side of South Florida. Also considered to be pricey. This is the go to location for jet setters, celebrities, and pro athletes. Traffic is a consideration as the population is quite dense.

Daytona Beach / New Smyrna Beach
This area’s draw is Atlantic ocean front, Bike week, the Daytona 500, and the only beach we know of that allows you to drive on the beach.Properties are generally less pricey than other areas, however you can still purchase luxury homes or condos that rival the other locations.

Central Florida/Disney/Orlando

This is the only Florida holiday home location that boasts rental potential of 365 days per year. The draw is Disney, Universal, and other attractions, a very accessible airport, and either coast being about an hour drive.

So how do you choose?

Well, many of our clients have started out searching on the coast, but after seeing the pricing and the Disney area’s 365 day rent-ability factor, they switch to a home near Disney. They decide that the benefits of Florida holiday homes for sale in this location outweigh the desire for a coastal location.

Regardless, coastal locations remain a great attraction. If you have the money to spend on an ocean front view, the extra cost of property insurance, the risk of hurricane damage, and a seasonal vs. 365 day rental season, it’s impossible to downplay the lifestyle attractions. However many of our clients realize that the price of ocean front can not be justified. Florida holiday houses for sale on the beach or close to the coast can be fantastic, but they are not for everyone.

We can find you either one and are happy to. We just want you to understand the differences in each area of Florida.

All of the areas carry the same caveat: make sure to check with us as to whether a community is zoned for vacation/short term rental, if that’s a part of your plans. Most communities in Florida are only zoned for permanent residence. If you wish to rent your villa out to help cover the cost, this is a consideration of the utmost importance.

Finally, do you need any more information?

Would you like to know what your chances of successfully locating and owning a Florida holiday home are, with consideration to your unique situation?

If you need a short recap, you can listen to Chris, our Broker, here:

Or you might want to move straight on to our Florida Holiday Home Success Survey here. We will compare you to our data base of 20 years worth of buyers and prospective buyers to give you your best indication of whether you are on the right track. And what other points you need to consider to make your purchase more successful.

Need immediate assistance or to schedule a viewing of a specific home?